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The best way to prevent your garage door from freezing is to install a permanent source of heat in the garage. You can have a professional tie in your main heating system or install a ductless mini split as a standalone heating solution. You can also insulate the garage to prevent temperatures from dropping to the point that the door freezes shut.

Sliding garage doors aren’t popular because when they can be inconvenient—they require you to leave your car—if they’re manual. But, if they’re automatic, they’re much more expensive than a conventional tilting door. Some find the sliding door less aesthetically pleasing than a tilting or barn door. 

It’s possible to use a torch to melt ice on your garage door, but we don’t recommend it. It’s very easy to bring the flame too close to the door, which can melt the weather stripping or even the garage door itself. You’ll melt ice quickly with a torch, but the damage you’re likely to cause can end up costing you a few hundred dollars to fix, which isn’t worth it. Instead, we recommend pouring hot water over the frozen area or using a less intense heat source, like a hair dryer or space heater.

The lifespan of a hurricane garage door depends on several factors, such as the quality of the materials, how well it's maintained, and the local weather conditions. As a rule of thumb, most hurricane garage doors can last anywhere from 15 to 30 years or more with proper care. However, if you start to see visible damage, the garage door becomes noisier, or you experience difficulty operating it, it may be time for a replacement.